Thursday, January 1, 2009

Happy New Year!

If I were living in Japan, I would be recovering from a marathon cooking session right now. New years tradition calls for cooking mounds of special foods that last three days. It is all beautiful and have special meanings. New Years is the big holiday in Japan and the country shuts down for a week as people travel to visit family.

Just a note: I'm a 2 1/2 generation Japanese American. My dad's parents came from Okinawa, and my dad was born in California. My mom was born and raised in Okinawa and came to Los Angeles when she was 24 years old. Unfortunately, I don't know any Japanese except for perhaps the greeting yelled at you in a sushi restaurant (irashiamase = welcome).

Well, I've never cooked the News Years feast...and neither has my mother! It's like Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner and a New Years Party all thrown in one.

So.... um, my family buys the food at Nijiya Market, a Japanese grocery store, and eats it along with guacamole and chips during the bowl games! Yeah, that is the Japanese AMERICAN part. :)

On a trip to Japan, my friend and I went to a village filled with ceramic shops. It was heaven. Rows and rows of studios and stores. (Remember that Yuko?) I picked up this three-tier ceramic container.

Sekihan (sticky rice made with red azuki beans) and a California roll. We always have some sushi and sashimi.

There are a bunch of other foods you should make and eat. Including fish cakes (kamaboku), soba (buckwheat) noodles that symbolize long life, beans symbolizing good health and herring roe for fertility. You can read more about Japanese New Years here and here.

Whew! That was probably way more than you ever wanted to know about Japanese and Japanese American New Years traditions and food! Happy New Year everyone! I'll be back to baking as soon as I feel better!

What's not to love about the traditional foods? Trader Joe's stopped carrying soba noodles, which I always had in my pantry, and which is very disappointing. Japanese food has always been my favorite Asian food. Happy New Year! (If you're up in this area, give Fabio's place a try.)

I honestly don't know what I would do if I lived in the US, I am used to buying Green Tea by the liter.. but you BLEW me away.... you made your own mochi.... We have skipped osechi a few times but ... mochi and azuki beans... yum

I love traditional New Years food and when I was in LA, much like yourself, I would go to Koreatown to get my fill on Jan 1. It's so much easier and your supporting local businesses! All of the food looks so good, especially the sticky rice with red beans (one of my favorites).

Oh My goodness..my husband would be in heaven if he could just see that sushi. He loves the stuff. YOur pictures are lovely.Thanks for stopping by and saying hello. I wish you a Happy New Year and Im so happy your my blogging buddy!

this was the most awesome post- EVER. Seriously. I love Nigiya too, and I didn't relaize you could buy new years food there, how cool! I will have to try to buy some for next year. I am loving your site, and linkig you to mine so I can always be up on what you are doing.Best, and Happy New year!!

Great series of posts! It's always fun to read how others celebrate the New Year. Our entire family loves Japanese food/culture (we even have a nephew who has been living over in Japan for the past few years teaching English). Ever been to Aki Restaurant in WLA? My husband discovered it when he was a UCLA student in the 70's and has introduced it to many since then. Everybody loves it! Happy New Year!

ohhhh! I'm so jealous. I'm Japanese, too (3 1/2 generation) and haven't been at home to celebrate with my family for the past couple of years. I made a make-shift dinner last night with tempura and too-American sushi (avocado/cucumber). Not quite the same. Can I come to yours next year? :)